


Treats and Treasures

by doridoripawaa



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F, Ll!, Love Live!, Ramen, Studying, Tags Are Hard, date, hole in the wall, it's a date don't @ me, llsip - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 02:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13753878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doridoripawaa/pseuds/doridoripawaa
Summary: Maki promises to take Rin out to eat after they finish studying. Rin picks a curious place with its own charm. RinMaki one-shot!





	Treats and Treasures

Tap. Tap. Tap tap tap.  
  
When Maki was tapping her foot along to the rhythm of a song, the sound was enchanting and the motion was soothing. When Rin was tapping her pencil atop her desk in a frenzied manner, the scattered beats bashed against the inside of Maki's skull. She tried to nonchalantly wrap her crimson curls around her fingers as a distraction, but she was almost tempted to tear her own hair out if it would dull the pain of the obnoxious blows throbbing inside her head.  
  
How did Hanayo ever have the patience to tutor their feisty, feline-loving friend?

"Oy, Rin." At this point, Maki couldn't help but wonder if the ginger-haired first year was procrastinating. "We're almost done. Then we can go out for food, like I promised." This news caused Rin's head to perk up, and she immediately stopping slapping her pencil chaotically on her desktop and instead put its point onto the paper in front of her.

“Why do we have to learn this anyway?” she grumbled as she scribbled her answers. “Does anybody talk like this?” Maki merely rolled her eyes, allowing Rin a moment to complain as long as she was working while doing so. In all fairness, they had been studying for at least two hours. Maybe Rin’s tapping wasn't a form of stalling or goofing off, but rather a way to release nervous energy as her brain was becoming burnt out. After two hours of dancing, she would still be as peppy and spritely as ever, but her mind apparently wasn't accustomed to this type of intense exercise.  
  
"Aaand... ta-dah!" The excited exclamation broke the silence without warning, and Maki nearly jumped out of her seat. Rin dropped her pencil and triumphantly lifted her paper up to the red-head's face. "Well? Well? Are they right?"  
  
Maki slipped the paper out of Rin's hand with a disgruntled huff, her heart still pounding in surprise. She held the paper before her face as she reviewed the answers, hoping to hide how startled she had been by the other girl's sudden outburst. "You got... all but this one," she announced at last, placing the worksheet back onto the table. "Remember, since she's expressing a wish, this sentence would say 'were' instead of 'was', so that--"  
  
"You've got to be kidding meow!" Rin snatched the paper and narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized her work. Hastily she grabbed her eraser and rubbed furiously to eliminate any trace of her mistake. "Then it's this one!" She slapped the slightly crumpled paper leaned back in her chair and folded her arms proudly across her chest. "NOW it's perfect," she announced.   
  
While Maki was well aware of the fact that Rin was far swifter than her, she usually would have at least tried to stop those rash, rugged movements that wrinkled her homework. If her reflexes failed, then she would have reprimanded her friend for her carelessness. Instead, today all she could manage was a frustrated sigh, and she muttered a snarky, “Well, process of elimination works that way.” Maybe she was running out of steam herself.

Rin either missed her sarcasm or simply didn’t care, because she propped herself up onto her elbows and leaned across the desk towards Maki. “This means we can go now, right? Wherever I want, right?”

Maki lifted a finger to push Rin’s forehead back, putting space between them. “I said when we finish, that I would take you anywhere,” she confirmed. “My treat. However…” Her gaze flickered to the worksheet. “I’m not sure you’ve mastered the material.” She could tell that Rin had drawn backward before she even turned to look at her again. The ginger-haired girl deflated like a balloon and slumped backward into her seat. Maki glanced at Rin’s defeated posture and felt a pang of sympathy. When Rin was down, the whole room seemed to feel cold, as if someone had extinguished the sun. “Come up with a sentence using the subjunctive,” she instructed. This would be a fair compromise. “As soon as you can create a unique, proper sentence, all by yourself, then we can go.”

While Rin’s hunched shoulders conveyed that she was still disgruntled, her eyes no longer had that same defeated look. Rather, they sparkled with defiance. Her lower lip jutted out in a little pout as she turned those gleaming cat-like eyes to her strict, studious friend. “If I were Maki-chan,” she muttered, shuffling impatiently in her seat, “I’d take Rin out to eat already.”

Maki opened her mouth to deliver a stinging retort, but her jaws slowly clamped shut as she processed what she had just heard. That… that worked. “Grab your keys and phone.”

* * *

Growing up as the only daughter of wealthy doctors, as the sole heir to a hospital, had forced Maki to learn certain life skills at an early age. Undoubtedly, she had led a sheltered life due to her upbringing, but she also developed a great sense of caution. Be cautious of how you act in public, for you are reflecting your family. Be aware of the expectations placed upon you. Be mindful of the people with whom you choose to associate, in case they only seek to use and abuse your friendship.

Coupled with her naturally introverted nature, the result was that Maki hadn’t exactly accumulated a large crowd of friends during the course of her life. Opening her heart to μ’s was a slow, and at times painful, process but also one of her proudest accomplishments. She had found lifelong friends who loved her for her talents, her wit, her eccentricities, and even her shortcomings.

If she could welcome these girls into her home with open arms, then she had no reason to feel fearful when offering Rin a free meal. Some people would perhaps take advantage of her hospitality, and indulge in an exquisite lobster meal, or perhaps opt for an elite steakhouse—some place where they could not normally eat.

Rin, on the other hand, essentially did the exact opposite. With a twinkle in her eye and a skip in her step, she dragged Maki by the wrist through alleys and side streets to a place where the pianist would never fathom visiting.

“Aaaah~!” Rin inhaled deeply and let out a delighted sigh as they slipped through the entrance. The dainty jingle of a wind chime was far too faint to mask the creaking of the old door’s hinges, but the softness of the simple sound helped soothe Maki’s rapidly beating heart.

The more she glanced at her surroundings, the more unsettled the wealthy girl became. “Rin,” she whispered under her breath, leaning in closely to the other girl’s ear so she wouldn’t be overheard, “where are we?” Her heart was pounding against the inside of her chest so vigorously that Rin could probably feel the thumping too. With its dim lighting, pitifully small windows, and rickety infrastructure, this “hole in the wall” restaurant was quite literally a hole in the wall.

Once again, the energetic idol seemed to be oblivious to Maki’s underlying urgency and anxiety, or she simply chose to ignore it. “I’m glad you asked meow! This is my favorite ramen shop in the whoooole world!” She spread her arms wide and stretched her fingertips, as if trying to bring the whole store into her warm embrace. Rin seemed determined to eliminate any traces of negativity and apprehension by ushering in her pure, bright optimism.

“This… is your favorite ramen spot?” Maki echoed. She didn’t have much time to object before Rin tugged her towards a pair of stools in the corner. Rin’s enthusiasm was definitely genuine, so Maki wasn’t skeptical so much as she was confused. Upon the smiley first year’s suggestion, μ’s had gone out to feast at ramen restaurants after several practices and live shows to celebrate a job well done, comment on their weaker points, and discuss their future plans. Not once had she mentioned this… interesting locale. “I never knew this place existed.”

Rin giggled as she plopped down and began to scan over the menu. “I’d love to take everyone here, but I think the nine of us would get a little overwhelming,” she explained as Maki carefully sat on the stool next to hers. “It’s pretty nyarrow in here, isn’t it?” She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “But! But I love μ’s so much, and I love ramen so much, that I want to make sure that I can take everyone here someday, even if it’s just one at a time! This is my hidden gem!”

Maybe Rin’s words had eased her mind, or perhaps her dynamic delivery was what enchanted Maki and made her almost believe that they were hiding together in a crown jewel rather than a sweaty closet. “That’s… really heartfelt,” she admitted, and Rin’s wide smile broke into an even broader beam. “A-anyway,” she went on, turning her flushing face away, “I think a chef is coming our way.”

Rin was quick to greet the elderly woman who approached the pair of them. “I’ll have my usual beef and egg power ramen!” she declared. “And Maki-chan… should we make that two power ramens?”

Maki shook her head and awkwardly mumbled, “I’ll have the, umm, white fish ramen.”

“She’ll have some extra tomatoes on that,” Rin added with a wink as the woman left them with a tender smile. “Sorry, I should have asked for more time!” she admitted with an awkward laugh. “I don’t really like fish, so I don’t know how that one tastes… but I know that every other bowl I’ve had here has been warm, tasty, and absolutely purrrfect!”

As Rin rambled on about her favorite types of ramen, her neighbor’s new kittens, her frustrations with English, and pretty much every other event that had some relevance to her life right now, Maki allowed her eyes to wander around the restaurant once again. Only one other customer had been here when the two of them arrived, and now they were the only patrons present. This place was easily overlooked, but Rin had somehow stumbled upon it and made the effort to bring her here.

“Have you ever brought Hanayo-chan here?” Maki asked when Rin finally took a break to catch her breath.

“Hmm? Oh, of course! She’s the only other friend I’ve taken,” Rin informed her. “I try not to take her here too often though, because I know she’d much rather have rice than ramen, hehe.” Suddenly her expression became very soft. “I want to make sure that my friends have as good of a time as I do, so I try to be fair! I decided that I would give Kayo-chin a break. She’s always willing, but that’s Kayo-chin for you.” Maki nodded in agreement; Hanayo was always one to accommodate, always one to be considerate of other’s feelings and avoid rocking the boat. “And when I thought about the next person who absolutely, positively, had to come with me… it was you, Maki-chan!”

“M-me?” Maki stammered. She was equally shocked by Rin’s blunt honesty as well as the fact that she had surpassed even Honoka, the other bottomless pit of μ’s, and even Umi and Nozomi on the list of priorities.

She was spared from any more embarrassing discussions for the time being as the elderly server returned with their bowls of ramen. Maki blew on hers several times, trying to cool it down before daring to take a bite, but after a deep breath, Rin dove into her meal without a second thought.

“Rin, you’re going to burn your tongue,” Maki reprimanded gently.

“Maki-chan is no fun,” Rin whined after slurping a long noodle down her throat. “It’s best while hot, so you should eat it n- Wait! I take that back!” she cried as Maki began to lift her chopsticks to her mouth. “First, you need to inhale deeply. Don’t just smell the ramen;  _breathe_  the ramen. Trust me.” She planted a hand on the table and leaned forward to bore her yellow gaze directly into Maki’s contrasting purple one. Clearly unsettled by the other girl’s intensity, Maki focused her attention onto her food.

Breathe the ramen. She wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but Rin was extremely passionate about whatever message she was trying to convey. With a sigh, Maki opened her nose, mouth, and soul to the bowl. The fish broth, tomatoes, miso, daikon, and every nuanced herb and spice wafted up from the dish and filled her senses. Maki closed her eyes for a moment, startled by the sudden rush of flavor, and took a delicate bite. When she opened her eyes once more, the whole restaurant seemed to have transformed. The creaky door seemed rustic rather than ragged, the soft light illuminated dancing fairies rather than dust bunnies, and the tiny windows served not to trap them but rather enhance the sanctity of their miniature mystical world.

“Well? Well?” Rin scuffled forward, trying to get closer to gauge the other girl’s reaction. “Amazing, right? The best? Doesn’t it fill you with a warm, fuzzy feeling?”

“It… it’s not bad,” Maki conceded, and she began to twirl a curl around her finger. Hopefully the red hue of her hair would hide the rosy tone beginning to spread across her cheeks. Rin didn’t seem satisfied with that answer, but she said nothing as she turned back to her bowl.

They sat in silence for a few moments while they ate, but before Maki was even halfway done with her bowl, she saw Rin tapping her chopsticks on the inside of her own empty dish. Normally, the starry-eyed girl never stopped at one serving, so why was she hesitating? “You can order more if you’re still hungry,” Maki reminded her.

“Are you sure? You’re treating me, so I didn’t want to be rude…” Rin began to tug at the ends of her own short orange hair as a flush of discomfort popped onto her nose and cheeks.

“That’s correct. It’s a  _treat_ ,” Maki repeated. “You worked hard for it.” Upon receiving permission, Rin eagerly began to wave down the elderly waitress. “Put your chopsticks down first! You’re going to poke an eye out!”

Patience certainly wasn’t Rin’s strong suit, unfortunately. Not even two minutes had passed since she ordered her second bowl of ramen and she was already giving Maki’s dish a sideways glance. “You won’t like it,” Maki stated flatly as she blew on her next bite. A low groan escaped Rin’s lips and she slouched onto the table in front of them, gazing wistfully towards the kitchen door. “You can try,” Maki mumbled, “but the fish flavor is rather strong.” As much as Rin loved ramen, she couldn’t stand the taste of fish. Maki however relished the taste, and she closed her eyes once more so she could relive that magical moment when she took her first bite. ‘Don’t just smell the ramen, but inhale it. Breathe it,’ she thought. With her eyes closed, she gently lifted a steaming noodle to her mouth and began to slurp softly, softly, not wanting to be unladylike.

While she expected some heat from her meal, which was still considerably warm, she couldn’t exactly explain the sudden burst of hot air that danced across her nose and lips. Curiously she opened her eyes to see if perhaps Rin’s dish had come and brought a new gust of heat. Rather than finding herself faced with Rin’s steak and eggs, though, she saw that she was nearly face to face with the quirky cat lover herself. “Rin!” she shrieked, biting down harshly so as to cut off the noodle connecting the two of them. Rin squealed and tried to slurp up the rest of the noodle before Maki’s abandoned, dangling half could fall to the ground below. “What are you doing?!”

“You said I could try some!” Rin blurted out defensively. Maki found herself steaming more than the ramen at this pitiful excuse of an explanation. Wasn’t it proper etiquette to wait for someone to finish their meal before scavenging off of their plate? “That was a bad idea anyway! I really can’t stand fish!” She stuck out her tongue and blew a couple of raspberries, trying to rid her mouth of the salty sea flavor. “And… you didn’t have to react so negatively,” she added in a low whisper. “That hurt, Maki-chan…”

Guilt began to fill Maki’s heart when she saw her friend in a dejected slump, like a lost kitten without her mother. “Next time, just… just let me know in advance.” She pulled her hair in towards her face as a shield, with full knowledge that her cheeks were probably the exact same color as her curls. “Then I… I can be prepared,” she mumbled.

“Next time?” Rin repeated. Her mood once again took a sharp turn for the better. “Next time?! You’ll come back? Back to my hidden gem? Oh, Maki-chan!” She grabbed the pianist’s hands and squeezed them tight. Her beaming smile was easily the brightest light in this entire shop. “But, you know, if I was Maki-chan, I would order—“

“Were.” Maki dropped Rin’s hands and gave a disapproving cough. “Looks like we need another lesson.” If that lesson were followed by another ramen expedition together, though, then the work would present a worthwhile treat for Maki, too.


End file.
